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Belt of Vapor

Belt of Vapor

Belt of Vapor's new EP is like the soundtrack to a nightmare—and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.

The Spokane, Wash.-based band plays heavy, angular rock like they invented it. On "Shipwreck," the lyrics give some sense that whether we're talking about a literal shipwreck or psychological injury, there's no escaping the dangerous consequences. And the driving, minor key riffs back up that sentiment. "Bank Robbery #2," however, is all about escaping, as the band members sing: "No one can catch me. Not even the cops! Ha Hahaha ha." Even under the roaring wall of feedback, mathy hooks and punctuated drumming, there's a healthy sense of humor here.

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"Tools" has moments when it sounds like an especially dark Cure song, and that's hard not to love. But other times it meanders both distractingly off key and into sentimental realms. Likewise, "This Ship Has Sailed" doesn't deliver the same punch as earlier songs, simply because it's an instrumental piece, and one of the best parts about Belt of Vapor is the band's gravelly gang vocals. Still, the EP is further proof that Belt of Vapor is a secret weapon within Spokane's music scene.